Witnesses testify in Okombe’s murder case

Calvin Okoth (left) and Maryanne Mumbi at a Nakuru High Court on November 14, 2017. The two face murder charges for allegedely killing rugby player Mike Okombe on November 4, 2017 at Olive Inn area in Nakuru. [Julius Chepkwony/Standard]

One of the suspects charged with the murder of rugby player Michael Okombe, stabbed him with a kitchen knife before battering him with a cooking stick, the court was told yesterday.

Vincent Omondi, brother to second suspect Calvin Okoth, said he saw Maryanne Mumbi (pictured) stabbing Okombe in the chest. “Okombe and Okoth were fighting outside the house and I intervened. On separating them, Okombe charged towards Mumbi, who had a knife and a cooking stick. She stabbed him in the chest and hit him several times on the back with the stick before she ran into the house,” said Omondi.

Omondi told High Court Judge Joe Ngugi that Okombe then turned to him while holding onto the knife that was lodged in his body. “Okoth asked him if he was okay and he gave an affirmative answer. He fell down as we approached him and we rushed him to hospital,” Omondi said.

He said Okombe had earlier been drunk and violent at Okoth’s daughter's birthday party in Kiamunyi estate, Nakuru, prompting them to set a table outside the house.

At one point, the court heard, Okombe followed them outside the house and attacked Mumbi. “While seated outside the house Okombe descended on Mumbi, but Okoth separated them. We left Okombe and Okoth outside. Erick Muchache and I went back to the house where we were playing computer games when we saw Mumbi leave with the knife and a cooking stick,” he said.

Shortly after the two heard a commotion outside the house and went to find Okombe and Okoth fighting. It is when Omondi separated the two that Okombe got stabbed by Mumbi.

Okombe's father Josphat Shitindo said he was called by a nurse at 2am and told his son was at the hospital and that he was needed there urgently. He traveled from Kakamega to Nakuru only to be told his son had died. He identified the body, which, he says, had a big wound on the chest, back of the head and the mouth.

The case will be mentioned on September 26.